Persistence
by montycrowley
Summary: Chiaki learns that persistence, indeed, pays off. Snapshots of Chiaki and Nodame’s life.
1. Landslide

**Disclaimer:** I do not claim any of the _Nodame Cantabile _characters as mine; they are the property of Tomoko Ninomiya.

**Note:** I've been reading some Nodame Cantabile fanfictions and – this is the feeling I'm getting – the authors describe Chiaki as an almost callous person who is ashamed of Nodame and feel that he needs to repent for his sins against her in chapter 123 and onwards? I guess it's to be expected after the events in those chapters but still…I think the portrayal/opinion of Chiaki is a little exaggerated. I completely understand why Chiaki did what he did, and don't hold him responsible for anything.

Oh well, those are my two cents, which may or may not have made sense to you.

**Note of Explanation: **This story will be told in one-shots, drabbles, etc. and its intention is to showcase snapshots of Chiaki and Nodame's life. The timeline of each chapter is unconnected (unless I say otherwise). This story told in one-shots/drabbles/etc. tips its hat to the Live Journal community 64 Damn Prompts for providing sixty-four unique themes.

. . .

**Persistence**

**Theme 55. Landslide**

. . .

The epiphany came in a most unusual and ordinary way.

They were sharing breakfast that morning: she, eagerly extending her plate, and he, depositing the vegetable omelet from the pan when she shot him with one of her brilliant smiles in gratitude.

Cupid's aim was flawless. His chest squeezed and lightened, his head felt airy, his insides fluttered and flipped, and Shinichi Chiaki was down for the count. He could never have predicted the landslide of emotions to come, how hard and fast he would fall.

. . .

The thunderous clapping, feet stomping, whooping and cheering and shouting of "Encore! Encore! Encore!" reverberated throughout the grand walls but the only thing he noticed was her.

"That was a wonderful performance, sempai!" She threw her arms around him, energetically chattering more enthusiasms into his shoulder. Nodame pulled away and her face lit up like a Christmas tree.

Chiaki mumbled a "Thanks" in reply and looked away to hide his burning face and thumping heart. Did she have to shower him with those deadly smiles? _They're going to be the death of me,_ he decided as she obliviously led him away to their celebratory dinner.

. . .

The dimly lit restaurant had been filled with private whispers and soft jazz combos played against the rich murals but Chiaki had paid no heed to his surroundings and instead had riveted his attention on the woman sitting across from him. They had conversed quietly of minor subjects, which had allowed Chiaki to admire how the candlelight tinted her brown eyes or her childishly delighted smile when she tasted her dish of Filet Mignon.

After dinner was adjourned, Nodame declared a midnight excursion and before Chiaki knew it, they were strolling aimlessly on the cobblestone streets.

Neither of them spoke but that was okay. The comfortable air had no room for conversation; the time was long past words.

Their hands brushed in a serendipitous moment but they pretended not to notice, tilting their head away from the other, like shy strangers meeting for the first time.

The second contact came when they unwittingly stumbled into each other's path, and hands flew to catch the other. Both murmured apologies and resumed walking, but the electric tingle of skin on skin remained.

It wasn't until after the accidental third contact that Chiaki inched his hand closer to hers and slowly, tentatively, reached out with pianist's fingers. Her mocha eyes swiveled to his hand and telegraphed a silent question; he waited on bated breath, wondering how on earth she had come to hold such sway over him because if she rejected him now, at that moment, he wasn't sure if he could stand back up.

But her hand tightened over his with such fierceness it left him breathless and wanting and he _knew. _

. . .

He found himself leaning over her, his lips over her lips, tasting the mouth that frustrated him, embarrassed him, loved him. They fell on his bed, a tangle of sheets and limbs.

He fingered the hem of her wine-colored dress, pressed his nose against her hair, spoke sweet words of _"I'm sorry" _and_ "forgive me" _and_ "will you stay with me tonight?"_

It's the second time in the same night that he's asked her a question that could make or break him. The power that he's given gratified her and she drew him closer, allowed him to blow kisses down her neck, the stray teeth to scrape the skin.

"We're going to be wicked tonight," she whispered, eyes twinkling in mischief.

His body tingled at her suggestive tone and again he found himself swept deeper by the landslide.

"Yes, we are," he said, his voice hoarse with desire, his lips brushing over her ear.

As soon as the words parted it was as if a dam let loose and they sprang into a flurry of impatient movements. Her dexterous fingers worked at his shirt and his hands flew down the zipper of her dress. He covered her body with his own and they sank deeper into the soft sheets. Her breath left fiery traces on his skin. He could barely hear the hiss of pleasure over the roar of his heart in his ears.

They stayed together until he could see colors, until all that was wrong was right, until he could hear the music she could hear.


	2. Locks

**Disclaimer:** I do not claim any of the _Nodame Cantabile _characters as mine; they are the property of Tomoko Ninomiya.

**Note: **This story told in one-shots/drabbles/etc. tips its hat to the Live Journal community 64 Damn Prompts for providing sixty-four unique themes.

. . .

**Persistence**

**Theme 29. Locks**

. . .

He doesn't even know how they got into that position, but there they were, she sitting with her back against the wall and he with his head on her lap, enjoying the quiet night of Paris.

"Chiaki-senpai? Do you know how to get to heaven?"

By now he should expect such random questions at random times from her.

Chiaki mulled over this for a moment. _He _certainly didn't consider himself a religious man, and neither did he ever witness her following any religious practices. Nevertheless, he asked, "How do you get to heaven?"

He really was curious to know what she had in answer.

"You take a right for a couple of minutes, a hard left…" She said quietly, all the while threading her fingers through his black locks, weaving a tune. "Two skips forward, then a prima ballerina twirl…"

He was conscious enough to smirk bemusedly. "A _prima _ballerina twirl?"

"Yes, a _prima _ballerina twirl," she confirmed with soft conviction, and he felt her nodding. "Then you have to do the hokey-pokey –"

"And you turn yourself around?"

He smiled when he heard her gasp.

"Senpai, you know how to get to heaven already?" She asked in disbelief, and then interrogated with the skills of a CIA Agent, "Who told you?!"

Chiaki's chuckle was cut prematurely with a yawn. "Is that really all you wanted to say?"

Nodame fell silent and for a period of time he thought she had fallen asleep. Then she spoke, "You know, senpai, there's a special place in heaven for musicians."

He made a low guttural sound to let her know he wasn't sleeping but he was close, his eyelids were already pulled down like shades.

"Is there now?" he mumbled drowsily.

"Yes. But you know what's even _better _than that?"

Chiaki wasn't sure if he answered or not, perhaps he managed to let out a warbled _"And what's that?"_ before sleep claimed him, but he couldn't remember.

He felt her shift, and suddenly her breath was caressing his ear.

She whispered, and he smiled.

"_There's a special place in Nodame's heart for Chiaki." _


	3. Passions Run

**Disclaimer:** I do not claim any of the _Nodame Cantabile _characters as mine; they are the property of Tomoko Ninomiya.

**Note: **This story told in one-shots/drabbles/etc. tips its hat to the Live Journal community 64 Damn Prompts for providing sixty-four unique themes.

**Note: **I've lowered the rating to T after reading a reader's (you know who you are!) comment and justified that it was alright. The T-rating will stay put and I'll just give **WARNINGS **if a particular chapter is over the rating.

. . .

**Persistence**

**Theme 8. Passions Run**

. . .

Needless to say, they were both quite shocked when Milch Holstein's performance on DVD was, in actuality, an edgy romantic flick.

Chiaki froze up like an ice cube as he watched the couple on the screen (_Why, oh _why_ did my TV have to be the latest high-definition technology?_) engaging in what was sexual foreplay, his horror escalating with each daring move, with each rising pitch of their running passion.

Sitting beside him on the couch was Nodame, her previous surprise mellowing into curiosity. She watched with rapt attention as the woman threw herself at her partner's bare chest, pressed against him with her womanhood; it produced just the right reaction as the man shuddered and moaned his lover's name,_"Oh, ---_"

The name was practically incomprehensible above the sounds of their lovemaking, Chiaki was further disturbed to find. The man could have cried out the name of a cellphone company, or a street name, or even a _fruit _for all the young conductor surmised.

"Sempai, if Nodame did that to you will you do that?" the female pianist asked, still staring at the TV for it was getting to the good part.

Chiaki choked on nothing and teared his eyes from the screen aiming to pin her with his fiercest glare when he spotted the innocent object cradled in her hands.

"What are you taking notes for?!"

He swiped the notepad from her fingers despite her protestation of "Mukya!"–

–Which also happened to be when the woman shrieked in her climax.

Chiaki cringed.

And devised a plot to murder the wily old conductor.


End file.
